Septimus R. Urban was given as the author of "The Rift and the Spray," published in The New York Mercury, XXII, No. 1102, March 3, 1860 The same story, under the title "The Pirate Scud; or, The Rift and the Spray," but by Malcolm J. Merry, was published as No. 85, American Tales. It also appeared in a twenty-five cent publication, issued by Frederic A. Brady in 1860, but with the author given as Malcolm J. Errym. Errym and Merry, however, are both anagrams of Rymer, which is the true name of the author. Urban, therefore, is also a pseudonym of Rymer.

The name "Sylvanus Urban" had previously been used by Joseph Whitaker (1820-1895), the originator of the Whitaker Year Book, as a pen name in the columns of The Gentleman's Magazine, in 1856-59.

For Urban's novels, see Rymer.